Ensilage-harvester.



A. 5: A. RUNNING. 'ENSILAGE HARVESTERJ APPLICATION :FILED 'rss. 25. m4.

Patented Feb.26,1918.

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EINSILAGE HARVESTER.

Patented Feb.'26, 1918.

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ANDRE-AN G. ROJ Q'NING ADOLPH RONNIITG, J1 BOYD, MINNESOTA.

ENSILAGE-HARVESTETfi To all whom it may concern;

He it known. that WB,'ANDREA'N G. Ronnine, a citizen of the United Stetes, residing; at Boyd, in the county of Lac qui -Parle and State of Minnesota, and ADOLPH Ronnme, citizen of the United States, residing at Boyd, in the county of Lao qui Perle and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and 1.1DPTOV8d Ensilage-Harvester, of which thefollow'ing is a specification.

Our invention, has for its object to proride a simple, compact and highly efficient ensilage harvester, that will cut the corn stalks or the like off the field, chop said stalk into small particles, and elevate and deliver said particles of stalk into the box of awagon drawn alongside of said hervester, thus saving a great deal of expenseand human labor in filling silos. J

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indi- I cute like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1. is a side elevation of the iinproved machine, some parts broken away;

Fig.- "is a"rear elevation of the machine, with. some parts broken n-Way;

Fig. 3. is a plan yiew of the machine,

Fig, l. is a fragmentary view taken from the same point of view as lint show- 111g more in detail some of the mechanism not fully exhibited "in Fig 3 Fig; is a. fragmentary view taken in section approximately on a line X X, on Fig.2 p v he general construction" of the machine Will now he. described. I

Thefmain frame 1 of' 'themachine is car ried by and 11e,arly.balanc'ed,on the bull wheeled-Bend 2' and is so "connected to the.

said Wheels by n'ien nsjprofviding for vertical adjustment of the said lia-in "frei'ne 1. The

right hand wheel is ,journaled on a ..short axle'i'l, which at its'nds'hds small spur gears 4, that work in 'gilide brackets '5, vhichfare secured onjmain frame 1, arid provided With'rack teeth ,6 with. which the provided at one end-"With the worlngear 7 that is engaged by another Worm gear 8, which is carried by the inner end of a crank shaft 9. Crank shaft 9 is provided at each end with suitable bearings 10 and thereby secured to main framel, and held in proper Specification of Lette1's Patent Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

- relation. to the said worm gear '7, on axle 3. The left hand wheel 2 is journaled end secured to the main frame 1 in the same manner as ti right hand bull wheel 2 already 1 YibQLl, and figures prime/from 2 to 10 incl re ante their similar and correspondin The means have now -rehy the main frame may been n e w vertically.

be bod ll The ms ll .r provided with a tongue 11 and is con ml to the mam frame with freedom. .ir ertical pivotal ad gustnients and, as shown, this .is accomplished by providing the said tongue with rearwardly projecting met llic straps 12 and brace rods 13, and 13, ends of which are pirota-llyconnected to the said mainframe, respectively {it points 1 3:, 15, i6 and 17. Link 18 connects the'interlnediate portion of the tongue 11. to the forwardly projecting arm. 19 of shaft 20, of latch lever 21. Said shaft is journeled in. suitable bearings 22-. Said latch lever 21 is secured to shaft 20 and provided with. the usual latch piece 23, that is engages-hie with the notches of the. latch. segment or quadrant 24, to secure the lever in any set ad'iiistment. By oscillatory move ments of the lever 21, the front portion of the main frame, and the rear portion of the tongue may he raised and lowered with av sort of toggle actirm, thus affording a means for tilting machine.

- As to means for pulling the machine for ward any well known tractor hitch or evener and Whillie-tree device may be attached totlie tongue at any. suitable and conframe 1 near the front left hand corner-of said main frame. Bull wheels 2 and 2 carry spur gears 25 and 25 which meshwith spur gears26 and 27, which are carried by the ends of shefts 28 and 29 respectively. Shafts 28 and 29 are j our-naled, at their ends, in suitable bearings which are secured to main freme 1, and

are so alined that they are connected and dis'-connected by a jump and catch olutc as illustrated in Fig. 3. The rigidlysec v portion of clutch 30, is secured to the end of shaft 38, and e slideble portion of clutch 30 is loosely journeled-on the end of shaft 29, said clutch and of shaft 29. being prefermil.

, one end, and is journaled to the slidable porare secured to main frame 1.

ably square. Spur gear 26 carries on its inner side jump and catch teeth which mesh with the similarly constructed jump and catch teeth of the slidable clutch hub which is journalcd on an intermediate square portion of shaft 28, see Fig. 3, adjacent to spur gear 26, which is loosely journaled on the cylindcred portion of shaft 28. Thus spur gear 26 will rotate shaft 28 only when its said jump and catch clutch teeth mesh with the similarly constructed jump and catch clutch teeth of said clutch hub 30.

Parallel to shafts 28 and 29 is a shaft 90 which is journal ed in suitable bearings which All, Its end, illustrated in Fig. 3, shaft 90 carries a spring linger 88. Spring finger 88, being scci'lrcd to shaft 90 with one end, is loosely joui'naled. in well known fashion, to the slidalilc clutch hub 30'. Similarly spring linger 89 secured to said shaft 90 with its tion of the clutch hub 30, with its other end,

, s rocket 38 over which runs the said.

" I Shaft 28 Cl! a well known and approved way.

)1 is made of two pieces, one arm of l. perpendicular or at right angles to tuber. Said lever 91 is pivoted or jourt on a suitable hearing at a point where said arms intersect. Said bearing of lever 91 is secured, by a bolt or otherwise, to main frame 1. The rearward 'projccting arm of the said lever 91 is pivotally connected to the left end of said shaft 90 in such a way as to be able to slide said shaft so back and forth. The other end of the mitwardly projecting arm of said lever 91 is pivotally connected with the rear end of a guide rod 92, which is pivot-ally connected to the lever handle of a lever attachment 93.

" Said. lever attachment 93 is of Well known cimstruction, with the usual lever, quadrant and means for securing said lever in any set position. Thus moving guide rod 92 back and h by means of said lever mechanism ,d lever 91 will slide shaft 90 back and i rth, thus sliding the hubs of clutches 30 and 30" on their respective shafts in such a way as to put the machine in and out of near. Furthermore as arms 88 and 89 are of spring steel, they will afl'ordtheir respective clutch hubs a chance to slide back, if need be, and thus afford the possibility ofturning the machine easily, when it is in gear.

Shaft 36 is journaled in suitable bearings at its upper. and lower ends, said lower end bearing being secured to main frame 1, and said upper bearing being secured to gathering board 37. Said shaft 36 also carries lgathering icu runs 0 ain 40 and sprocket 39 over .w

the gatherin chain 11. Idlers 42 and l? carrjesfbevel gears 31 and 32 "WlllCll mesh withbevel gears-33, 34 and 35.

are provide with suitable bearings and means for adjustment 44 and 45 whlch are vof well known construction and which are secured to main frame 1, and which are for the purpose of carrying and directing gatherin chain 40. Bevel gear 35 is secured to sha t 4.6. Shaft 46 is journaled in suitable bearings at each end, said lower end bearing being secured to main frame 1 and the said upper end bearing being secured to angle irons 4:7 and 48. Shaft 46 between said bearings is referablys uare and carries a series of c topping dis s 49 and cutter blades 50, and also a series of thimbles or sleeves 51, which are for the purpose of reinforcing shaft 46 and for the purpose of holding said cutter blades and chopping disks parallel to each other and at" a proper distance apart. Chopping disks -19 are thin, flat circular pieces of steel with square holes in their centers to fit closely the form of shaft 46 and carry at their circumferences ground and sharpened finger blades or cut outs as best illustrated in Fig. 5. It will be understood that these cut outs may be semicircular, V shaped as illustrated or out in any such convenient manner. Cutter blades 50 are also thin flat pieces of steel made to fit shaft 16, but instead of being circular as chopping disks 49' are, they aresmaller chopping disks with preferably two 'rela: tively large hooked cutter blades.

Angle iron 48 is fastened and braced to ,the main frame 1, and carries a series of knives 52, which are preferably curved, as illustratedin Fig. 5. These cradle knives may be secured to angle iron 48 by any of the well known means of adjustment, and

l are sharpened and made to shear up against Roller 55 carries an endless belt 56 which forms part of a conveying mechanism and elevator 57. Elevator 57 is secured, at its lower end to main frame 1', and the upper ortion is secured and braced to the main name by means of support 58. Said elevator consists of two pieces of board or. sheet metal 59, guide straps 60 and 61, suitable braces, roller 55, conveyor belt 56, and upper roller 62, which is journaled, at each end, in

suitable hearings to the guide boards 59.

Such suitable bearings may consist of yoke 63, which is secured to guide boards 59, slot 64 which carries the ends of roller 62, coil spring 65, set screw and adjusting device 66,- as illustrated in Fig. 1 and in Fi .9 Endless conveyor belt 56 carries slats 6 and moves, when in operation, transverselyto the movement of the achinc, and revolves in the di- -rect1on as indipated by arrows which are shown in Fig. i

Bevel gear 54 meshes with bevel gear 68 which iscarried by tlreloiver end of a trans-- yersecounter shaft 69. .iil a-Ft 69 is jourable bearings guide board 71. Between the said bearings said shaft 69 carries sprocket 72 over which gathering chain 74.

runs the endless gathering chain 75, and sprocket 73 over which runs the ei'ulless Gathering chain 74:

- runs, at its lower loop, over idlers an d Idlers 76 and 77 are ourimled on suitable bearings and bearing supports, and. said bearin $11 1' orts are secured to'inain frame "l in the same manner as idlers t2 and and hearingsupports' 44 and i5, illustrated in Fig-1 1. "Endless gathering chains an, all, 74:

and .75 carry fingers 78, which are of well iknown and approved construction. I Gathering boards 37 and 71 incline forwar'dan'd their lnner edges diverge so as to guide the standing stalks into the channel left'between them. At their lower and front ends they are attached to the projectingxangle irons .oi main' fraine 1 thus forming an acute angle with the said prruectmg portion.

of" the main frame.

ets 79 and '80, saidcnt out circular sickle fiatheringchains'dl and 7 run over sprockets 39 and 72 respectively. Endless gathering chain 41. runs at its lower loop over idler 79, and endless gatlnrin z chain 7 5 runs at its lower loop orer idler 80. Idlers 79 and 80 carry, on then under sides, thin circular pieces of steel 81 and Said pieces of steel 81 and have indentations or, cut outs attheir circumferences and are sharpened and adjusted to form shearing sickle cutters, as best illustrated in Fig.

Being considerably larger thanidler sprockcutters 81; and 82 overlap their cutting edges at points midway between their centers, in

. such-1a way as to shear one against the other,

thus affording the ensilage harvester two co- I operating sickle cutters or means by which to cut the standing stalks off the ground.- Said' idler Sprocket 79- being secured to disk' sickle 81 and said idler sprocket 8O hen-1,; secured to disk sickle 82 are each respectively mounted. on suitable-bearings and bearing; supports, and said bearing supports are secured and adjusted to main frame 1, in any well known manner.

Fronii. the rear of said disk sickles extends a U shaped chute 83 which extends rearward and inclines upward until it reaches the lower disk cutters 49, from which point a- ;chute board 84: continues to extend rearwardiv and upwardly until it reaches angle At its upper forward inclined chute Part of which is arranged torc'ceive froinchute 83 andpartto deliver to the. canvas of elevator 57. Onto the rear end of said chute board 84 is fastened, by means of screws or otherwise, the. lower end of hopper 85. Hopper 85 is secured on one side to angle iron48, by means of rivets, bolts or otherwise, and runs along the back of cradle knives 52,- circles around disk cutters 49 and cutter blades 50, the' receiving and under slung side of which coils back toward the centerof shaft 46, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, The dotted portionof' hopper 85, as indicated in Fig. 5, representsthe under slung portion-of t e aidhopper which has loop holes or slits cut in it to allow sprockets 72 and T3 and. disk cutters 49 and cutter blades 50 to ass through it as they would through the teeth. of a large comb." This is designed for the purpose of combing-out the cut particles of stalk which maylodge between said disk cutters and cutter blades;

spring fingers is to direct the stalks toward ig t e disk outterseit) and cutter blades 50.

Of course many things may be slightly changed and modified, as for 'aninstance, the manner of mounting the chopping mechanism with its drive shaft 46, beveled oo gear 35,'chopping disks: .9, cutting blades 50, coiiperating cradle blades 52',- angle iron 48,4; attached hopper 85, etc, which may be mounted on the machine in. different ways. Said cutting mechanism may be turned to the side insuch a way as to be almost im mediately above and parallel to elevator 57, which all. a matter of how much the-beveled gears 35 and-31' are be'v'e'led and of how said choppingmechanisrn'is adapted; braced and supported; Again, said cliopping; mechanism maybe swung. forward to one side or it may be's wung backward, as for instance, into such a PGSltl OD-"BJS indicated by the dotted lines at therear of the machine as shown. in Fig; l, which is sine ply a matter of'liow the said chopping neehanlsn- 1smounted and' of '--l1OW- said chute board is constructed.

'lhgamovenient and operation of the ensi-lag rvesterwillthen be as follows: As

the machine "is drawn forwardly, ground stalks are directed between gatherin boards 7 shearing of the-cradle knives on the side and the shearing of the colter cutters and riding upon the inclined U-shaped chute 83 until they are directed by spring fingers 86 and 87 on to direct engagement with colter cutters 49 and cutter blades 50, which, turning in the direction as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5, continue to'move the stalks parallel to their initialposition, but in doing so the stalks soon come in contact with era dle knives 52 and are gradually sheared and out into small particles by the draw knife cutter blades on the other. By-this sort of operation, there will be no power lost by sudden jarring, as the cutti'n is of a comparatively gradual nature, an what is more, there will be no power wasted on the feed-- ing rollers as in the ordinary ensilage cutters, and there will be comparatively no power wasted by jamming the stalks against a cutting bar as is commonly done, for the stalk is cut on both sides at the same time,

and before power is utilized by the revolving colter cutters 49 and cutter blades to feed the stalks, is employed at the same time to cut the stalk into small particles. The cut particles of stalk then drop into hopper and directed by chute board 84; on to the'endless conveyer belt 56 of elevator 57 and carried transversely to the movement of the machine into the box of a wa on drawn alongside of the machine.

e have now briefly described the parts, movements, and functions of the ensilage harvester when made according to our preferred design. ut, of course, many things may be slightly changed, as for instance, the manner of mounting of the mechanism, with its drive shaft 46, beveled gear 35, colter cutters 41, ho ked knife blades 50, cradle blades 52, an l e iron 48 and hopper 85, etc., which may amounted on the. machine in different rways. Said cutting mechanism may be turned to the side in such a way as tobe alinost immediately above and parallel to el'ev tor 57, which is all a matter of how-muc the bevel wheels 35 and 31 are beveled'and of how said cutting mechanism is br ced and supported. Or again, said cuttin mechanism may be swung back, as for'instance, into such a position as indicated by the dotted lines at the rear of the machine, asshown in Fig. 1, which is simply a matter of how the cutting mechanism is mounted and'of how the chute board is construted.

In reduction to practice, we have found that the, form of my invention illustrated in t c drawings and referred toin the above description as the preferred'cmbodiment is the most efiicient and practical, yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary,

ered stalks rearwardly from the cutting means, a substantially vertically positioned series of cutters for cutting the severed stalks into short lengths and mechanism for operating the cutting and conveying means.

2. In an ensilage harvester, cutting means for severing the standing stalks, guidingand conveying means for conveying the sevcred stalks rcarwardly from the cuttin means, a substantially vertically positione series of cutters for cutting the severed stalks into short lengths, mechanism for operating the cutting and conveying means and a con'veyer for receiving the ensilage and transferring it to a receptacle and means for operating the conveyor.

3. In a harvester, cutters for severing the standing stalks, guiding and conveying means for conveying the severed stalks rearwardly from the cuttingmeans,a rotatable shaft carrying a series of cutters, shaft capable of adjustment into various positions in a substantially vertical plane, and: a frame carrying a series of stationary cutters cooperating with said movable cutters to reduce the severed stalks into short lengths.

4. In an ensilage harvester, a transverse power shaft, means for driving said shaft, cutting means for severing the standing stalks, guiding and conveying means for moving, the severed stalks rearwardly from said cutting means, means for operating the cutting and conveying means from said shaft and a second shaft carrying a series of cutters mounted in a frame provided with a series of stationary cutters cooperating with said first-named series of cutters, said second named shaft being at right angles to and movable about said first-named shaft as a pivot and means for operating said second-named shaft from said firstnamed shaft.

ANDREAN G. RQNNING.

RONIFING.

\Vitnessest Tnonwann BJoRNLin, I. C. UNDLIN. 5

was 

